The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 11th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have a tradition of continued success, having been to 34 NCAA tournaments (6th all time). Under Denny Crum, Louisville was one of the premier programs of the 1980s, going to four Final Fours, winning two NCAA championships, and posting the highest NCAA tournament record of that era. Louisville's rivalry with the University of Kentucky is considered one of the most intense in college sports, and the basketball game is commonly known as the Battle for the Bluegrass. Louisville also maintains basketball rivalries with West Virginia, Cincinnati and Marquette.The Cardinals have won 18 or more games 37 of the past 40 years, including 15 years with 24 or more wins.As of the end of the 2007-08 season, UofL had an all-time 1556-825 record in 93 seasons of intercollegiate basketball. The Cardinals are 18th among all NCAA schools in victories and 11th in winning percentage.

Louisville is the only school in the nation to have claimed the championship of three major national post-season tournaments including the 1948 NAIB championship, the 1956 NIT title and the 1980 and 1986 NCAA championships.UofL basketball has been named the seventh best all-time basketball program by Street and Smith's, The Sporting News, and CBS Sportsline.Eighteen Louisville players have earned All-America status, the latest being Francisco Garcia in 2005. The Cardinals have had 57 players taken in the NBA Draft, the latest of whom is Francisco Garcia being chosen in the first round (23rd overall) in the 2005 NBA draft.

Louisville has made 34 NCAA Tournament appearances (6th all-time) and 14 NIT appearances. The Cardinals have reached the NCAA Tournament 24 of the last 31 years (six of the last nine years, 12 of last 16). The Cards have reached the Sweet 16 on 22 occasions. Louisville is seventh in tournament victories (57). UofL has a 57-36 overall NCAA Tournament record, reaching the Final Four eight times.

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